


Enveloped in Tenderness

by tricodeku



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: A/lurance makes a cameo, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, James is baby, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:42:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23416897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tricodeku/pseuds/tricodeku
Summary: As the sole prince of Marmora, Keith is forced to marry someone he doesn't know. He's convinced nothing will make him happy again in his crazy, unfair life. Or so he thinks.
Relationships: James Griffin/Keith (Voltron)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 55





	Enveloped in Tenderness

**Author's Note:**

> Just your average fantasy world au with horses and castles and knights and all that good stuff.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!

Keith wanted to cry. He had been dreading this day for weeks, months, but he never thought it would actually come. He didn't think his childhood would ever be cut so short, although he knew it was bound to happen, being the only prince of Marmora and all. And he hated it. Everything was being taken away from him, and it was crushing. His freedom, his home, and his right to love whoever he wanted. All because he had to marry a complete stranger for reasons he didn't quite understand yet. He was told it was crucial he did so, for the kingdom. He only wished his mother were here to comfort him in some way, or to even give him away. But now only Kolivan stayed in the room with him, as he got ready for the ceremony.

As he stared at his reflection in the mirror, he thought his expensive clothes made him look like a joke. The fabric hugged his neck too tightly, or maybe that was just Keith's anxiety. Despite how he tried to steel himself, his hands were starting to tremble.

"Will I have to kiss him?" Thankfully his voice didn't waver.

Kolivan's reply was gruff as always. "No, that is only required when you are both of age."

Relief washed over him, but the feeling was temporary. When he finished getting dressed, a large hand landed on his shoulder to signal it was time to go.

Keith could only describe the ceremony as literally walking to his doom. The sunlight from the window was blinding, and he was sure everyone could see the tears forming in his eyes. There was music, but he could only hear his heart beating loudly in his ears. He didn't want to look at the boy at the altar–and he didn't care that he was around his age either, which was something he should have been grateful for, he guessed. But nevertheless it still made him sick.

He wished he could stop his breath from hitching, or the way hot tears eventually ran down his cheeks. The boy–no, _James_ was his name–looked away, probably embarrassed of his new spouse. Keith decided right then and there that he hated him. Their hands were brought together as the ceremony thankfully wrapped up not much later, and Keith never felt a stronger desire to punch someone. He hoped he didn't have to see the stranger's face again so soon.

* * *

James had been excited when he had been told about Keith. He had seen the many pictures and paintings of the Marmora family all throughout his life, and greatly anticipated the big day they would meet. The little kid with the wild black hair rarely smiled in the paintings, but he was admittedly taken by his big blue eyes and soft looking skin. He was sure he was nice.

Living in the palace had been a lonely experience growing up, so he couldn't wait to finally have someone to talk to and spend time with on the daily. His parents only occasionally did so with him, but that was because they were always busy. James couldn't really blame them, as they had done their best. But none of that mattered anymore, because soon Keith would start living here with him, and he would be lying if he said the thought didn't make him giddy or nervous.

He wanted to be the best friend possible to Keith, so he practiced his duties whenever he could, and watched his manners. He even learned how to cook some food, just to impress, and in case Keith would get hungry. On the day of the ceremony, James made sure to wear his nicest clothing. It would be the first time they officially met, after all. The servants gladly helped him do his hair until it looked perfect.

But as he stood at the altar, and Keith walked down by Kolivan across the room, all of James' initial excitement faded.

Keith looked...upset.

Really upset.

His face was a deep crimson, and tears pricked at the corner of his eyes. James let his poised posture falter as he felt his stomach sink at the sight. As he was brought closer, he could see Keith was trembling, like he wanted to be anywhere but standing there. Was… was he crying because of him? A wave of guilt rushed through James, feeling like he might throw up.

He suddenly didn't want to do this anymore, if it was causing Keith so much pain. But the man at the altar continued to talk, and it was all white noise to his ears. Hyperaware of everyone watching them, James forced himself to look at Keith, but he was met with a glare so fierce he swore he wanted him dead. His own face turned red with shame, and he had to face away.

When their hands were brought together near the end, he tried to ignore how Keith flinched at his touch, and the soft sobs that escaped those lips. The joy he had been feeling before had completely dissipated, and James tried hard not to imagine what Keith was thinking about. He hoped he could one day forgive him.

* * *

After the ceremony, James decided the best route of action was to talk to Keith.

He had so many questions, and he probably didn't want to talk to James, but after storming out, he wanted to at least make peace with the other boy. So after he was finally free from the other royals' attention, he rushed out the door to find him. He didn't go far, and had turned the corner towards a desolate, shaded part of the castle. James only needed to run a few feet to catch up to him.

Keith had practically torn his vest apart, already undoing the buttons of his expensive-looking sleeves. His eyes were still red and puffy, and it made James' heart pound in his chest, still overcome with guilt.

"Keith?"

He approached him slowly, as if any sudden movements would set him off, or result in more crying. What he wasn't expecting was Keith turning around, and pushing James so hard that he stumbled backwards into the dirt. The fall was painful, but Keith's words absolutely broke his heart.

"Leave me _alone_! I _hate_ you!" He shouted, with a venom that shocked James. But the effect was damped down by the tears on his face.

He couldn't even respond as Keith turned on his heel and ran off, leaving James to pick himself up off the dirty ground. He didn't know what to do. He was so sorry.

* * *

James avoided Keith the rest of the day, which was good, because Keith didn't wanna see his stupid face. It took him a while to calm down after the ceremony, pushing the events of the day to the back of his head, but afterwards he was able to breathe again. Keirh began his journey in getting adjusted to his new life in the castle.

When he wasn't being dragged into boring meetings with Kolivan and Ulaz, he wandered around the Griffin's palace, which he was free to roam, looking for whatever to do. As a fifteen year old it was easy, and he spent it counting windows, or discovering interesting rooms behind closed doors. He even found a huge library at one point, which was at least three times the size of his bedroom back home. That one wasn't _that_ interesting, in Keith's opinion.

But it wasn't long before he was forced to go to another dinner, but this time, with the Griffins, which meant he had to go with James.

Keith wondered if he could get out of it by feigning sickness, but Ulaz, his other caretaker, ultimately told him to get ready at the last minute. He grumbled and washed his face as he did so. It was a fancy, important dinner, Keith didn't know for what, nor did he really care. He was not looking forward to spending any of his time with _James_.

When he reached the doors to the dining hall, the young prince was already there and ready, the show off. Keith resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He wore a blue vest and black pants that were most definitely tailored, and it made Keith feel a bit underdressed in his plain shirt.

When the doors opened, Keith avoided eye contact as much as possible, and then heard a whisper to his right.

"Keith, we have to hold hands."

Ulaz had told him that too in his quarters, but did he really need to remind him? Keith huffed, annoyed, and he harshly grabbed James' hand with more force than necessary. At least he didn't flinch.

The dinner was dull and repetitive, as expected, and Keith was grateful he didn't have to make pointless small talk with the other royals. He caught James staring at him twice throughout, but quickly fixed that problem with a few glares thrown his way and a tired 'What are you looking at?!'. He was weird.

Fortunately Keith didn't have to suffer much longer because in the middle of their meal, Kolivan stood up from his seat, as if ready to leave. At Keith's confused expression, he explained they were invited to watch and participate in a spar. _Spar?_

Intrigued, Keith eagerly followed Kolivan and the others to another room, which was apparently used for training and exercise. He let out a soft sound of awe when he saw it.

A dozen mats were lined up against the floor, and glass chandeliers decorated the high ceiling. But the really interesting parts were the weapons and suits of armor, kept on the edges of the room. Swords, axes, and other weapons he couldn't recognize were all there. It was cool.

The first match was between two men, presumably guards of the castle, and Keith watched them avidly. They reminded Keith of Antok, who had trained him a bit back home in Marmora. Princes and Princesses were supposed to defend themselves, so it was crucial he knew how to swordfight.

But the fight was over before it started, and Keith desperately wanted to try it too.

"I want to spar," he told Kolivan, who looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"Are you sure?"

Kolivan knew he could fight, and he might as well have let him while they were here. It wasn't everyday he got to use real swords, after all. He was so lucky the Griffins were wealthy.

After a beat passed and he received a silent nod, Keith happily jumped up to meet his opponent.

But his joy was instantly stamped upon when he saw James, being ushered by the others to spar against him.

Keith growled through his teeth, because _of course_ it had to be him. Couldn't he do things alone for a single solitary second?!

He glared at James when he tried to hand him a sword, and walked straight past him instead.

Keith picked out a sword of his own, a shiny, pointed one with a silver handle. He didn't know how much experience James had with fighting, but Keith bet he could knock him on his ass. In fact, now that he was looking at his dumb face, he wanted to.

James met him on the mat, getting into position, and Keith death stared into those violet eyes before either of them made a move. He did not tremble, which probably meant he wasn't fearful–It was interesting. But they'd have to see. 

Keith went for the first blow.

He went for an easy hit James could block to test the waters, and his mouth parted into a small 'o' when he successfully did. Well. That was a good sign. Keith huffed, but he was not gonna let himself be impressed just yet.

When he took too long to make a next move, James went for a strike of his own, and Keith clashed his sword against his. He retaliated by going for his leg, but that was blocked by him too.

To his surprise, James moved gracefully and with precision, as if he'd also been trained. This enticed Keith to make his blows more forceful, and to move quicker.

James evaded all of the hits, eyes on his sword at all times. It almost annoyed him, because he was good, or because it was James, he didn't know.

The clanging of the metal ringed loudly in the room as they clashed again and again, and Keith was admittedly starting to get frustrated. Just looking at James, the one responsible for this whole mess, pissed him off, and made the heat in his chest bubble dangerously. He struck harder, and finally, James stumbled back a bit with a grunt.

Unfortunately for James, he was good– but he wasn't as good as Keith.

Taking his opportunity, Keith struck his sword towards James once more, who blocked it predictably. But instead of pulling back, Keith twisted the weapon skywards, and with a hard kick to his stomach, he sent James backwards, toppling onto the mats. His sword lay uselessly at his side, but Keith didn't give him a chance to grab it.

As James reached towards it, Keith swung his sword again, and this time, it went perhaps a little too close.

James made a surprised sound, and at the same time, their audience gasped, when blood started to trickle down the princes' face. Tch.

When he finally lowered his sword, Keith gazed down at his opponent in fury. He knew Kolivan was gonna chew him out for the stunt later, but seeing James on the ground, his eyes wide with something akin to fear, sent a rush of satisfaction up Keith's spine.

Before anyone could tell him off, he dropped the weapon, and took off towards the door, ignoring the calls of his name behind him.

* * *

Okay, had Keith gone a little too far? Probably. But how could he feel bad when he was forced to be with James? And when he had the audacity to let it happen too. It's not like he had to say yes to the whole marriage thing. If he really was a good person, he would have stopped this from happening. If anything, James _deserved_ that cut on his face. Someone had ought to teach him a lesson, and if it had to be him, then so be it.

He didn't really feel like being yelled at by Kolivan, or James' parents for that matter, so Keith made his escape to the gardens, where it was lush and green and no one would find him. It would take them a while, at least, but Keith was quicker than most.

He strolled outside the palace grounds to seemingly nowhere, until he reached an abandoned fortress-slash-castle not too far away. The place had practically been torn apart, and it didn't really resemble anything anymore, the broken stained windows and crumbling rock being the only sign that someone had actually lived here once. It was actually quite beautiful, Keith thought, with nature having taken over, and he could appreciate the quietness and sunshine filtering through the remains of the ceiling. He absentmindedly wondered if he would find his way back– it had been almost three hours since he had left.

Keith explored the fortress, enjoying the silence, until his adventures were rudely interrupted by… crying?

Keith stopped in his tracks, listening intently for the sound, hoping he didn't imagine it. If he'd already gone crazy from his first week here, he was in big trouble. But it _was_ most definitely crying, or rather, soft sobbing. But who else would be here with him in this abandoned, crumbling fortress?

He followed the sound and turned the corner, and sure enough, there was a boy, his knees pulled to his chest, and face buried in his arms. He was sitting against the stone wall, and flowers and overgrown weeds surrounded him, the sunlight cascaded over his small figure.

Keith held his breath. Could it be–?

As he took a closer look at that brown head of hair, Keith realized, with bewilderment, that it _was_ James.

No way.

He must have made a noise because immediately, James looked up, and something resembling horror painted his features.

"Keith?! What are you doing here?"

James' face was flushed red, and his eyes were big and filled with tears. How long had he been here, crying his eyes out? Keith was drawn to the bandage on his cheek, where he had cut him during their spar. It made him wince, a little, but James was waiting for his response and didn't have time to think about it.

"What are _you_ doing here? Did you go to the nurse, or something?"

At that, the prince shot him a glare.

"Yes! And it still hurts, you know!" James ripped some grass and flowers out of the ground, and tossed them angrily at Keith. He sniffed, and wiped his eyes and nose with his sleeve. _What a baby._

Keith grit his teeth together. "You have nothing to be sad about! _I'm_ the one who was forced to marry _you_!"

This time, James stood up off the ground, dusting the dirt off his pants, and for a minute, Keith thought he was going to fight him. But instead he started walking away, hands balled into fists. What a coward!

"If you hate me so much, you can just leave!"

Keith, despite himself, followed him, if not just to yell at him some more. The audacity James had to tell him that– when he knew it wasn't possible– vexed him to no end. "You know I can't do that!"

"You already made my face bleed. I think Kolivan will be okay with it," James hissed.

Keith growled in his throat, and he hunched his shoulders in anger. "I never wanted this! You're ruining my life!" His hands balled into fists too, and he was itching for something to hit– preferably _someone_ , but James just kept walking away, not even bothering to face him. It was aggravating.

"Have fun walking back to the castle," he said, and Keith _really_ wanted to hit him now.

But at a loss for a clever retort, he only walked behind James some more. "You're the worst!" He rasped.

The next second James stopped abruptly, and it almost caused Keith to trip and fall over the prince. Now that they were outside the run-down fortress, he could see James' horse waiting patiently for him. So that was how he got here so fast.

He turned around to face Keith.

"You know, I was actually excited to meet you! They should have told me you were just another jerk."

…

Wait, what?

That was definitely _not_ what he was expecting him to say.

Keith stopped in disbelief, and he could only watch with knitted eyebrows as James turned on his heel to leave.

James was… excited to meet him? Maybe he had heard him wrong.

The anger from earlier had seemingly vanished, leaving Keith more confused than ever, but it was not a comforting feeling. He preferred to be angry.

Why on Earth would James be excited to meet _...him_? Had he really been looking forward to their wedding? It was hard to wrap his head around the mere idea.

Just... why?

* * *

The walk back to the Griffin palace had been confusing, and Keith immediately indulged in a bubble bath when he got back to get his mind off James. Ulaz was bound to scold him for what he did to the young prince, so he figured just waiting it out and avoiding the lecture was the best option.

When he was dry and in a different change of clothes, the door to his room opened, and Kolivan came in looking grim as ever.

It made Keith sigh, and he let his cheek rest on his hand. He knew that expression all too well.

"I know what you're gonna say, Kolivan." Those yellow pupil-less eyes bore into his soul, so he stared into the far corner of his room instead.

"What you did to Prince James was wrong," Came Kolivan's steady voice. It took everything in Keith to not roll his eyes at the mention of the prince. "I strongly advise you apologise to him at once."

Keith let out a drawn out sigh. "I know I went too far. I won't do it again." No promises there.

"To James, not me."

A sudden flash of anger coursed through Keith's veins, already tired of their conversation. "I just don't get it! Why did we even have to do this, anyway?!"

"You know how important this alliance is to the kingdom of Marmora and the Galra." So he knew what he was talking about.

"And he couldn't decide to marry someone else?!"

His question was met with a hum from Kolivan, and it made Keith frown, desperate for answers.

"It is not up to Prince James."

Well, Keith had figured that out on his own. But still. "He–he told me he was excited to meet me. What was _that_ even about?"

Was James really so eager to get married at the tender age of fifteen? Was he weirder than he had originally thought?

There was another prolonged silence, where Kolivan just stared at him, and it irritated Keith. He pulled his feet up to the bed, hugging his knees to his chest. It was a while before the older answered, like he wasn't sure if he should tell Keith whatever he was going to say.

"During my time at this kingdom, I noticed the prince always being by himself. Truthfully, I think he might just want a friend."

Keith took his bottom lip between his teeth, and felt a pang of guilt in his heart.

If that was true, then is that why James had been so excited?

Did that mean he really had no friends here, and Keith had been treating him like shit the entire time he had arrived? Especially when James was just trying to get along, despite the circumstances.

In Keith's head, it didn't make any sense. It's not like James was bad looking, and he seemed pretty extroverted from what he'd noticed the few moments they had spent together. (And what he'd heard from the servants.)

Still, a knot formed in his stomach at the thought, and the memory of pushing James and the sight of blood came flooding back to him. Keith had maybe possibly screwed up.

* * *

Two days passed without him seeing James. As much as Ulaz and Kolivan urged him to apologise to the prince, Keith didn't know how to go about it. Was he just supposed to walk up to him and say "sorry"? It just seemed so unrealistic. Keith wasn't the best with words, he knew, and usually made his points through actions (and his fists.), so the whole thing was uncharted territory for him. Who knew apologizing could be so difficult.

But before the third day could go by without making a move, Ulaz ushered him outside to where he knew the prince would be, and Keith was not prepared. In fact, the guilt had slowly started eating him from the inside out.

So he walked cautiously to the stables, where James was tending to his white horse, brush in hand and a wooden stool at his side. He really fit the pristine image of royalty, didn't he– with his perfect hair and white, noble steed. All he needed was his crown. For a moment, Keith mused about how anyone else might have been ecstatic to marry this guy. It sucked how reality worked.

He held back a frustrated sigh as he stepped towards the boy, eyeing him as he brushed the animal's mane. He didn't turn around right away, and Keith wondered if he'd even heard him coming at all.

He coughed into his fist. "Hey," he announced, with as much casualness that he could muster. "What are you doing?"

Those violet eyes darted towards him once, but he didn't cease his brushing, as if Keith was not even there, talking to him. Was he still angry at him? The knot in his stomach tightened, and he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Um…" Damn it. What was he supposed to say? The silence stretched on for way too long, and James just kept brushing.

"Look. I'm sorry about your face." Nice.

It was a pathetic apology, but to his surprise, James turned around, and crossed his arms over his chest. Instead of the lashing out he had been expecting, James just furrowed his brows, and his pink lips pressed into a thin line.

"Is that all?"

Shoot. He hadn't been expecting _that_ reply. Keith grasped for something to say. "And… and for the other day."

"Thanks. Now I'll make sure to stay out of your hair from now on."

"What? _James._ "

The brunet avoided his gaze, which only got under Keith's skin.

"I don't just want you to say what I want to hear, Keith!"

"But I'm not!!" He protested. Not even five minutes into their conversation and they were already yelling at each other– Keith forced himself to take a deep breath before things could escalate further. "James, I… I _am_ sorry. I never should have hit you."

The boy's stare dropped to the ground, so Keith continued. "...But I still hate this entire situation," he said honestly.

James' expression softened, and his hands fell to his sides. "Well, thankfully we're not going to be forced to be by each other as much anymore."

It was said so quietly, and the guilt from earlier forced itself into Keith's mind. As his tone calmed down, Keith let his own posture relax.

"Yeah, I know."

He suddenly remembered what Kolivan had said to him, after the _'incident'_ , and he fixed his eyes back to the brunet. His head was hung and Keith could almost imagine the sad puppy ears on him, pressed flat against his head.

Keith sighed, wondering how he was going to do this. Ah, well. If he was going to be living here, he might as well make an effort to make things better between them, right? He didn't want to hide from James the rest of his life, that would be ridiculous.

So he held his breath before he spoke, choosing his words very carefully for once. "I know neither of us really wanted this whole… _thing_ , so maybe... we could be… friends?" His voice nearly cracked at the end, but he made his point.

A beat passed, and then a smile quirked on James' lips, seemingly content with that deal. Just being friends. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off Keith's shoulders, and he let himself revel in his successful apology. James extended his hand out in front of him to shake, and Keith gingerly took it. It felt like they were meeting properly for the first time. Keith couldn't help but grin a little himself. Happiness looked good on James, he had to admit.

* * *

Keith did not expect to hang out with James again so soon. He thought the prince would wait at least a week or two, possibly coming to terms with being friends with him, but the next day he was being invited on a trip around the kingdom with James. He supposed it would be like a hike, but after heading outside, he was surprised to see the boy on his horse, and another, black horse waiting for him. Which just posed a small problem: Keith had never been on a horse before.

He awkwardly stood to the side as James slung a satchel around his shoulders, ready for their trip. It was a beautiful day out with blue skies and white puffy clouds, and Keith didn't want to ruin it for both of them, but what else could he say?

"Um. I've never… I don't know how to ride a horse," he said, shyly looking up at James, who at the moment looked like such a pro, radiating confidence in the way he sat on his saddle. "Maybe I can just wal– wait, what?"

The next second he was suddenly being lifted in the air, and his head whipped around to see another man, with white, brilliant hair placing him on the black horse.

"You'll get it in no time," he said, and flashed him a blinding smile. Keith's eyes widened. As if he knew his capabilities at all!

"Thanks, Shiro," said James from in front, who was already starting to leave. Keith was going to yell at him to wait, but his horse followed him without a word, speeding up to a trot and going through the gates.

It was hard to see from behind, but a tiny smirk tugged at the edges of James' lips when he glanced at him. Keith almost gasped. That punk was laughing at him! And he wasn't gonna have it.

Making an effort to make the animal go faster, he tugged in the reins hard, like he'd seen Kolivan and Ulaz do on their own horses a couple of times. But the horse didn't seem to like that, and it shook its head around, apparently annoyed. "Come _on,_ " He whined.

James' horse on the other hand, picked up speed, and its ivory mane flowed in the wind. "Guess I'm too quick," he chirped with a laugh.

Keuth bristled, feeling a fire forming in his chest. Oh hell no. There was no way that he was gonna let James be smug all day. He ushered the animal forward, until he eventually got the hang of it, studying how James did it. They raced across the grassy fields, and Keith enjoyed how the breeze felt against his skin and rustled his hair.

When they got to a large hill overlooking a lake, James slowed to a stop, making Keith's horse stop too.

From this distance, the Griffin's palace looked somewhat smaller, and a nearby village could be visible, the roofs of the houses just peeking over the grass. James slid off his horse, and took the satchel off his shoulders, placing it on the ground. Keith followed him, careful to not fall off his own horse.

"What's in the bag?"

"Weapons," James said casually, like it was the most completely normal thing to say.

At Keith's balking expression, his lips pulled into an amused smile. "I'm kidding. It's food."

James unfolded a thin blanket, and sprawled it over the soft grass.

Keith belatedly realized what they were doing. _Food? A blanket?_ They were having a _picnic_. But, wasn't that too fast? Keith didn't have many friends aside from the royals in Marmora, but he was sure some sort of friendship rules had to exist. They were barely on good terms yesterday!

Ignorant to his surprise, James kept taking food out of the bag, and setting it down on the blanket. For such a small satchel, there was a lot of it– cupcakes, toast, fruit, and drinks. Keith was lying if he said it didn't smell good, but there was so _much_ of it...

"Did you steal all of this?" He questioned, with raised eyebrows.

Slowly, a pink blush rose to James' cheeks.

He avoided his gaze, busy with taking out a jar of butter. "Not… _all_ of it," he confessed, and Keith couldn't believe it, his eyes bulging out of his head.

If _he_ even tried to steal from the kitchen back home when it wasn't lunch time, he was sure to get a good scolding from Kolivan. How was it that James even thought of doing that himself? Perhaps the cooks were more lenient in his home, but his blush said otherwise.

James continued anyway. 

"But I actually made these cupcakes! I didn't know what kind you liked, so I made a couple of different flavors."

Keith's eyes fell on the wrapped cupcakes. He wasn't kidding– James had made vanilla, chocolate, and what he assumed was red velvet from the color. He curiously brought one up to his mouth to taste, and it instantly melted on his tongue. It was like _bliss_.

James smiled at his reaction, and Keith scarfed down the rest of the cupcake in seconds.

It was actually kind of sweet that James took the time to make them food, and accommodate just for him. It caused his stomach to do flips in a weird way, and Keith didn't know if that was a good or bad thing. Nevertheless, the food was delicious and he was suddenly glad they were doing this.

James laid back on the blanket and closed his eyes, enjoying the sunlight on his skin. Keith could see faint freckles speckled on the bridge of his nose he hadn't noticed before. But the silence went on like that, until James spoke again.

"I've never had a picnic before," he said, and Keith had to focus once again on his food instead of his face.

"No..?"

The brunet's eyes opened again, but his smile faltered. "No. I always tried to have one with my mom and dad, but they're pretty much always busy. No one really pays attention to me around here."

His eyes dimmed, like he was recalling an unpleasant memory, and Keith arched an eyebrow at him.

The new information surprised him. Yeah, Kolivan had told him that he was by himself often, but seeing someone like James admitting to being so lonely? It tugged at something in Keith's heart he didn't even know was there. James seemed so eager to have him around, and Keith didn't know how to reply.

"Well…", he said, distracting himself with some cookies, "luckily I'm here now, right?"

The shadow that fell on James' face disappeared, only to be replaced by a beaming smile. He shifted in place to look directly at Keith. "But, what about you? Is Marmora really cool? I bet you miss a lot of your friends."

Keith nibbled on his chocolate chip cookie, not bothering to cover his mouth. "Hardly, usually I just hang out with Kolivan and Ulaz. They're much better than anyone else."

It's not like there were many kids around his age in the castle anyway, but that didn't really bother Keith. He _enjoyed_ spending time alone, or training with Antok and Thace.

"Oh. Well, that sounds fun too."

Keith wanted to laugh. Was everything about fun for James? He took another sip of his drink, washing the food down.

With the clouds blowing above them and the sun shining brightly in the sky, it actually felt nice to be outside with James. Quite honestly, it was the last thing he expected to be doing when he came here.

When more than half of their food was eaten, James lit up with an idea.

"Hey, I know what we can do! We should go visit the village nearby! And then we can go to the library!"

He was already picking up their lunch, and almost knocked Keith over when he pulled up the blanket from under him.

The library…?

"Is _that_ your idea of fun?"

That earned him a worried, confused look from James. "Yeah…? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Keith quickly said, and stuffed the rest of a cupcake into his mouth. Since they were both basically free for the rest of the day, he figured why not. The village appeared to be a five minute walk anyway, and they didn't have to ride their horses to get there.

He followed James down a grassy path, all the way down to the small houses and dirt streets. Keith let out a soft 'wow' when he saw it.

It was a nice, tidy village, with plenty of people peacefully going about their day, going to the market, or tending to their animals. Keith could smell something sweet in the air– baked goods. It was nothing like Marmora, but quite the opposite: people always greeted each other with a stern face there. Here, everyone seemed to be in good spirits, chatting and laughing.

It was also quite crowded, and Keith made sure to not lose sight of the brunet. They passed several shops, vendors, and bakeries, when it occurred to Keith they probably shouldn't have come alone.

"Aren't you supposed to have a guard with you, or something?"

Assigned guards were usually expected to come out in public with princes, but James didn't seem to mind at all that he was just with Keith, roaming the streets like there was no possibility of danger.

"...Well, Shiro sometimes accompanies me, but he lets me out by myself too."

Oh.

He must have made a face, because James only flashed him a bright smile. "Don't worry, if something happens, I'll protect you."

Keith internally debated on whether to hide his face or laugh– although it was kind of charming, he definitely thought he was the stronger of the two. No offense to James and his scrawny build, of course. If something _did_ happen, he was positive he could take care of them both.

James continued to show him around the little village, and Keith got to experience new tastes and smells. He bought Keith a steaming drink, which gave him brain freeze, and worms, that were actually candy but super realistic looking. It made Keith wonder if the prince was trying to poison him. He giggled at him when he "ate it the wrong way" but Keith didn't care.

Their last snack of the day was ice cream, and they found a relaxing spot at the edge of a fountain to eat. Keith thought it was kind of strange that no one really seemed to notice the young princes walking around, but he quickly ate his words when a girl with blonde hair ran up to them.

"Jamie!" She squealed, and James had just enough time to look up and catch her in his arms. Keith noticed she had pointed ears and markings on her cheeks, as well as a pink dress that went down to her ankles. She was pretty.

"Hi there," James said with a smile, and returned the big hug. Was this an old friend of his or something? Keith crossed his arms over his chest.

"I'm so happy to see you!" The girl said, not bothering to look at Keith. When she took in the bandage on James' face, her eyes grew to the size of plates. "James, what happened to you?"

Keith ducked his head between his shoulders, feeling heat rush to his face.

Oh no. If this was James' friend, his chances of making a good first impression now were slim to non-existent. Not that he really cared about what others thought of him, but this was _James'_ friend. It was totally different.

He was already preparing himself for the repulsed look, steeling himself for the impending answer from James, when his next words caught him completely off guard.

"I fell while I was riding, it's just a scratch."

Keith's jaw dropped.

O-oh?

The girl raised an eyebrow in response, but didn't question it further, shrugging her shoulders. "You're so silly," she teased with a grin.

When she finally got off James to give him some space, his hair was mussed from the hug. Okay, he had to admit that look was _kinda_ cute. But the girl immediately went to fix it, and Keith frowned.

"But promise you'll still take me riding on my birthday?" She asked, practically glowing.

"Okay, I promise," James said, and they smiled at each other with the warmth only good friends gave each other.

Keith, suddenly feeling out of place, bit his bottom lip. He didn't understand why, but the fact that they seemed so close made his stomach twist in an unpleasant way. They'd clearly known each other for a long time, and it showed.

Wasn't James gonna introduce him?

It wasn't long before blondie said goodbye and walked away, which left Keith with several questions and a tight chest. Who was that girl? Why did he say that?

Like he had been reading his mind, James explained to him that she was Romelle, one of the people he often hung out with when he visited the village. Well, _that_ much was obvious. It didn't make the feeling in his chest go away, though.

He watched Romelle's golden locks sway and bounce on her way to the market. Her hair sparkled prettily in the light, along with the rest of her. Keith absentmindedly wondered if James thought she was pretty, too.

His attention was brought back to him when he started to talk again.

"Maybe you guys can hang out sometime. I know she'd love to be friends with you."

In theory the idea was nice, but it didn't interest Keith much.

He was fine with one friend for now, and that one friend being James. Having more people seemed like such a hassle to Keith.

But he gave a half-hearted shrug anyway, with an added "Sure, why not.", as his response. With that, he went back to eating his ice cream. The chocolate had already melted onto the cone.

* * *

Keith's feet trudged through the grassy path back to the castle. The sun was starting to set, and it painted the sky a lovely orange and pink. With the reins in their hands, their horses followed shortly behind them, taking their time. Keith was quite frankly exhausted, but a smile still managed to form on his lips. Their first official 'hang out' had been a success, if he said so himself.

"I had a lot of fun today," James said, when they got nearer to the gates that lead to the stables.

Keith didn't expect to have such a great time either. It felt pretty good, being able to spend time with James without thinking of him as a spouse, but rather, a friend. They had a nice picnic, and he got to see around the kingdom a little bit. His kingdom now too, he supposed. But his mind still lingered on Romelle.

He wanted to know why James didn't just tell her about their fight, and the real cause of his wound. Why he lied. Was he probably embarrassed of the story? Or was he just taking pity on him? Ultimately he decided against bringing it up– maybe James would think he was weird.

"Me too," he said instead, and he liked how a soft blush krept up James' cheeks. He did that when he was happy–a small detail he'd come to notice about the other.

The brunet opened his mouth, then shut it again, like he was struggling to say something. Keith gazed at him expectantly, but James remained silent.

He took a guess at what the poor boy was trying to say.

"So...do you want to hang out tomorrow?"

His response was immediate. "Okay! That would be great!" There was a spring in his next step, and Keith grinned at his excitement. Seeing James happy probably shouldn't have made him so happy, but in his defense, it _was_ pretty contagious.

James quickly paused, and he brought a hand to his mouth. "Oh, actually I have lessons in the morning, so maybe in the afternoon? Would that be fine?"

Keith was more than fine with that.

* * *

He went to the library to meet James the following day, a little bit earlier than when he would have finished with his lessons. He told himself it was because he was bored, of course– a prince of fifteen could only be so entertained every hour of the day. When he knocked on the door of the library, though, a tall man opened up instead of James. He wore a disapproving expression, and a pair of black framed glasses sat on his face.

"James' lesson is not finished yet."

Had he been expecting him? He did not look happy to see him at all. Keith met his eyes with an equally serious gaze, and tried to peek inside the room. "Can I still come in?"

The lines on the man's face only creased further, like Keith's request had been unreasonable. "I don't want any distractions. You should leave."

He spoke calmly, but Keith didn't understand why he wouldn't just let him in. It's not like he was gonna make any noise!

"I'm not gonna do anything," he rasped, utterly done with his judgemental look. Why did so many people always assume the worst out of him? Did his bruised knuckles not convey 'friendliness'?

The man eyed him suspiciously, but after a few tense considerate moments, he finally seemed to cave. "No talking." He said, with a finger of warning. Keith nodded, but he was already forgetting what he'd said.

"Okay."

When he cracked open the door wider, Keith hurtled right past him, to see James hunched over a book on a desk. There was no other adult or royal around, so was the guy his teacher? He looked behind his shoulder to see said man scowling at him for running inside. Sheesh, he really needed to relax.

He wanted to say hi to James, but decided to let him study and sat down on one of the couches nearby. Keith could feel the annoying man keeping an eye on him across the room. Which, speaking of, it was beautiful.

The library was one of the biggest rooms in the palace, and its many windows allowed plenty of light to filter through the deep blue curtains. The shelves full of books seemed endless, with rows that extended high towards the ceiling. It was probably worth taking a look over, but the couch was quite comfortable, and Keith didn't mind waiting for James to finish so they could hang out. Soon his feet were propped up on the seat, and he was dozing off.

Keith didn't remember falling asleep, but when he woke up, he could feel the presence of James nearby. He blearily turned his head to see him sitting on the couch adjacent to him, eyes glued to a book.

"Hey, sleepyhead," James said, when he realized Keith was awake.

"Ugh, what time is it?" He rubbed at his eye. He hoped he hadn't wasted their day!

"You were asleep for about twenty minutes, if you're wondering. But I didn't wanna wake you."

A quick glance around the room told him the man from earlier was gone. "Who was that guy? With the glasses?"

"Adam?" James shut his book. "He's my tutor. He brings me stuff to work on and books to read. Today he was teaching astronomy."

Keith let out a breathy, humorless chuckle . "I don't think he likes me very much. He seems like a stick in the mud honestly."

It wasn't a very funny comment, but James laughed anyway.

"He takes some getting used to. So, are we going?"

He was preparing to leave, but Keith's eyes were drawn back to James' book.

"We can stay here for a while longer if you want."

James agreed, and the next few hours were spent with Keith on the sofa, listening to James' soft breathing in the quiet room. In the peaceful ambiance of the library, with James turn page after page, he felt that maybe they could be good friends. Maybe they already were…?

* * *

Keith tiptoed on the way back to his room, not wanting to be heard by any wandering guards or royals. It was past dark, and Kolivan had expected him back a few hours ago. He hoped he wasn't still there, waiting for him to return. It was unlikely, as the older had his own separate sleeping quarters, but there was no harm in remaining vigilant. As he approached the double doors, he pulled one open as quietly as possible.

The lights were on inside. Shoot.

He stepped in casually, avoiding the gaze of Kolivan, who was sitting down on the table and drinking what looked like tea. If only he could just make it to his bedroom…

"And where were you all day?"

His voice cut through the silence, and his tone was curious and even. Keith couldn't tell what Kolivan was thinking at the moment– he'd always been like that, putting up a facade and hiding his real intentions. Was he actually angry at him for being out so late?

Keith paused to take his vest off, setting it down on the nearby couch. His mind reeled as he thought of what to say.

"Just hung out with Shiro today," he shrugged with nonchalance.

It wasn't a lie, he _had_ been in the kitchens with Shiro _and_ James baking bread the rest of the evening, but he didn't feel like Kolivan needed to know all the details. After wasting so much time complaining about the boy, Keith wasn't ready to up and admit that he was spending time with him. That he _liked_ to spend time with him. He was much too prideful to admit he'd been wrong.

"And Prince James?"

Keith bit the inside of his cheek. Of course he had to bring him up. He busied himself with undoing the buttons on his shirt. "The apology went fine," he grit out. It's what Kolivan wanted to hear, right? He should have been satisfied that he'd made an effort. It ended up with more than he bargained for, but he couldn't complain.

Picking up on his irritated tone, Kolivan's mouth pressed into a thin line that Keith was all too familiar with. "I hoped you and the prince would be on better terms by now. Your kingdom demands it."

His kingdom.

It was ridiculous. The fact that their alliance relied on their companionship– their _marriage_ was ridiculous, and Keith's anger threatened to resurface at his words. The cold hard reminder that he wouldn't get to marry whoever he'd like was like a punch to the gut, and it soured the delightful evening he'd had with Shiro and James.

Keith removed his shirt and carelessly threw it into a heap by the couch. He didn't even look at Kolivan when he said it.

"I don't know what you think is going to happen, but I don't care about James, and I never will, okay?!"

The somewhat-lie felt thick in his throat as he stormed into his room, but it did the job of making Kolivan quiet. He didn't think so badly of James. At least, not anymore, but it's what he wanted Kolivan to think. As long as he didn't know about their friendship, he couldn't suspect he had feelings for James, and there would be no lectures. This was good. Letting Kolivan remind himself that Keith was miserable. But his words still made him feel hollow as he changed into more comfortable clothes and crawled into bed. He tightly shut his eyes and forced himself to sleep that night.

* * *

The morning treated him less than kindly, and Keith woke up on the wrong side of bed with messy hair and a grumbling stomach. After eating some breakfast the servants brought him, he was ready to go and take a ride around the castle on his horse (technically James', but whatever) when one of the guards stopped him at the gate last minute. Apparently, the king and queen had gone away for a trip to Altea, which meant none of the princes were allowed outside the premises until they got back. Keith sulked as he walked through the halls of the palace, which seemed to stretch on for miles.

"They'll be back in a day or two," James reassured him, when he noticed his tense shoulders. Keith never liked being trapped in one place, especially indoors, but the comment made him grin slightly. If James often stayed inside, then he would be fine too. Keith was glad he wasn't by himself for once.

The two brainstormed on what they could do instead when they passed two grand oak doors Keith hadn't remembered seeing on his third walk around the castle. Unlike the other doors, this one looked like it hadn't been polished in a while, probably an indicator that it hadn't been opened in a long time. Keith stalked towards the entrance. "What's this room?" He asked, reaching out to the brass handles.

James only observed him from the side as he inspected the door. "That's where all the old furniture and antique stuff is kept. I don't really go in there often…"

"Why not?" Keith tugged on the handle, thinking first it might be locked, but it gave on the second push.

Right away, dust clouded their visions, and when it settled Keith understood what he meant. Towers of old furniture and boxes were stacked up almost to their heights, draped in white sheets with holes in them and covered in cobwebs. It was a sharp contrast to the clean and extravagant corridors of the castle. The light that fell through the curtains was dim, and it coated the entire room in darkness. A chill ran up Keith's spine at the sight, but he convinced himself it was just the cold.

He took a few steps inside the room when he realized James wasn't following him. The brunet's feet were planted outside the door, arms crossed over his chest. Was he _frightened?_

"You aren't scared, are you?" Keith teased, and he enjoyed the way James' face burned red.

He stiffly followed him inside after the very offensive accusation. "Of course not, don't be ridiculous," he huffed, and Keith had to hold back a laugh at his obvious lie.

With James treading closely behind him, Keith took the liberty to walk around and take in the peculiar treasures and antiques. Some things he didn't even recognize, but it was interesting to discover new things. God, maybe James and their library sessions were rubbing off on him too much.

A glimmer of light then caught his eye, glinting unusually brighter than the other relics in the darkness. He got closer to investigate, observing the metal, and his eyes suddenly fell upon a knife. Woah. As he brought it closer to his eyes, he noticed the blade was slightly curved, and judging from its condition, had probably never been used. A violet design was intricately carved into the handle. He immediately recognized it.

"This is a luxite blade from Marmora."

He felt more than heard James walk up to his side to get a closer look. "It is? How do you know?"

"This pattern is one my mother had on a brooch she once had. I remember it. I wonder who this one belonged to."

_BANG!_

Both boys jumped in alarm at the harsh sound and they gasped, turning their heads to the origin of the racket.

A hand had closed around Keith's wrist, but he was more focused on the door, which shut unexpectedly. In front of them stood a young woman, with brown skin and even darker hair. A somewhat snide grin was plastered on her lips, seemingly pleased at herself for having scared the boys.

The grip circled around Keith's wrist let go.

"Veronica," James gasped, almost breathless. His eyebrows knit together in annoyance. "What are you doing here? That wasn't funny." 

The girl, who was holding a clipboard in her hands, chuckled amusedly at the two. "It was a little funny, James. Besides, _you_ two shouldn't be here at all, should you?" she pointed out.

James cast his gaze down, likely upset at having been caught. "We were just doing ...stuff," He defended. (Not very helpfully, he might add.)

Keith lowered the hand holding the luxite blade, and Veronica playfully ruffled James' hair.

"Aw, did you get scared?" She cooed in a baby voice, and James bat her hands away in embarrassment.

"N-no!"

Keith narrowed his eyes at the woman, but she didn't seem like she meant any real harm. She pulled out a piece of parchment out of her clipboard. "Anyways, I have something to give to you guys."

"Is that a letter?" James said.

She nodded her head. "Yup, and it's from the soon to be queen and king from Altea," she winked.

_A letter for both of them?_

A large grin bloomed on James' face, but Keith didn't get what all the fuss was about. "What does it say?"

Veronica read it out loud. "In honor of the marriage between Lance and Princess Allura of Altea, Prince James and Prince Keith are cordially invited to the after-party celebration. A ball will be held at the palace at the following location."

_A ball?_

James bounced on his feet, joy rippling through him at the news. He was practically glowing with excitement, but it took a moment for the information to click with Keith. They were invited...to a ball? For someone's wedding?

A crowded, fancy event like that was the last place Keith wanted to be stuck in for several hours, and he found it hard to see how James found it so appealing. It was just dressing up and socializing, which was just two of the things Keith hated.

Veronica rolled up the invitation as she gave them a half-smile. "So what do you say? You want to go?"

The words 'no' were stuck in Keith's throat, but he didn't get a chance to say them when James gave her an enthusiastic "Yes! We'd love to go!"

What? _No!_

Veronica scribbled something in her clipboard, and Keith didn't get to further protest as they chattered away about the ball. Didn't he get a say in this at all?! James was making a mistake. He was absolutely _not_ going to that ball.

When Veronica finally left the two boys alone in the hall, Keith turned to James with a scowl, feeling a flicker of irritation. He still looked so excited, oblivious to his discomfort.

"Why did you say that?" He demanded, keeping his voice low.

James looked at him with raised eyebrows, as if he had no idea what Keith was talking about. "Say what?"

Keith wanted to roll his eyes. "That I wanted to go!" Wasn't it obvious?

James looked appalled, then confused. "...You _don't_ want to go?"

As if he'd ever dream of it. "No! I don't want to go to some _stupid_ ball. You can't just speak for me like that, James."

He seemed to understand, because shame fell over his expression, and his mouth went straight. "Oh. I...thought it might be fun."

" _I_ won't think it's fun!"

James bit his bottom lip, his eagerness from earlier quelled. The calm prince front returned, and he carried himself differently. "I'm– yeah, you're right. I'm sorry. I can tell Veronica you changed your mind if you want."

Keith didn't like the way those big eyes fixed on his own, a hint of sadness in them. He felt sorry for snapping at James, but there was no way he was going to that ball, and not even his puppy eyes could change that. Nope. No way. But James still looked so sad, and he desperately wanted to go…

Could James possibly go by himself? No, that would be ridiculous and improper, and Kolivan would absolutely shame him for it and for dishonoring the Marmora name. They either went together or not at all.

God. James was gonna be the death of him, wasn't he?

With a sigh and a rub to his temples, he caved. 

"No, you don't have to do that." Keith said. "I'll go."

"Are you sure?" James tried to hide his delight at Keith's decision, but he saw right through him.

"I'm sure."

It was just one ball, right? How awful could it be?

* * *

Keith should have brushed up on his party etiquette. When the night of the grand ball came, his anxiety started to creep up in his stomach. He didn't know how to act– he'd only ever been to one other ball in his life, but not for an extended period of time, and especially not with someone else as his companion.

The collar around his neck felt itchy with the fancy material, but he didn't have another one he could wear. He'd have to remind Ulaz to get him more clothes. But he supposed he looked good enough, with his red coattail and white gloves to match. The gold accents on his chest and shoulders were reserved only for the most formal of events, and he almost felt strange wearing them.

Standing in front of the carriage to take them to the event, he wondered if James was also feeling as skittish as him.

He didn't immediately notice the other boy stepping outside, too busy fidgeting with the lapels of his jacket that wouldn't go down. But when he did, Keith's jaw fell slack.

James was fit in a jacket of his own, a light green color with turquoise rosemaling around the edges of the seams. The buttons and gold lining sparkled in the light of the castle's lanterns, and they worked beautifully against his white pants. The crown on his head was golden, similar to the rose-gold one Keith wore, and it suited him. He couldn't look more elegant.

Actually, when did James get so…

As the prince approached him, Keith couldn't stop himself from looking him up and down. His face suddenly felt hot. The rush of attraction probably should have scared him, but it didn't.

It's not like he was the first person to notice James was handsome. Everyone knew it– and how could they not? With his big doe eyes and soft chestnut hair that was always neatly kept. This was old news. But if it was, why did his heart skip a beat in his chest?

"Ready to go?" James asked. To keep from stumbling over his words, Keith simply nodded his head.

The carriage took them to a magnificent castle, and hundreds of guests were already entering the ball by the time they arrived at Altea. Carriage after carriage came and went, and Keith held his breath when it was their turn. The outside of the castle was decorated with fountains and lush gardens, and dozens of guards stood in line at each side of the entrance. 

Keith followed closely behind James, who was all too eager to go to the ballroom.

After walking down some more stairs, they arrived to the sight of hundreds of gowns twirling in tune to the music, their partners joyfully laughing and having a blissful time. Just as many chandeliers adorned the ceiling, lit up with too many candles to count and giving the ballroom a brilliant glow. The large crowd and the burst of colors almost made Keith squeamish. He had almost forgotten why he didn't want to be there in the first place. He ran nervous fingers through his no-longer gelled hair.

A young woman that he recognized as Princess Allura came forward to greet them, her husband hanging back in a blue suit and a smile. Her dress was extravagant and glamorous, white and resembling what one would wear at a wedding. She said something about how glad she was that they were able to come, but Keith wasn't listening. James politely showed his gratitude with a bow, and Keith did so as well.

When the couple said their goodbyes, the princes walked towards the middle of the ballroom, and Keith felt his hands go sweaty as panic started to rise within him. He knew what James wanted to do. It didn't take more than a look from him to understand what he wanted, but Keith quickly shook his head. He did not want to dance, and was probably never going to. He took a few steps back for good measure, feeling himself go tense. James looked disappointed, but he did a good job of hiding it.

"Do you mind if I go–"

"Yeah, I don't care," Keith said, not unkindly. He wasn't gonna stop James from having a good night at the ball, even if that meant they were apart. He clenched his jaw when James disappeared into the crowd, loneliness consuming him once again. Amongst the other people and royals around him, he was practically invisible. It was a feeling Keith hadn't experienced in a while, and it bothered him. James had become a constant for him back home in the castle, and he almost… missed him.

Keith wandered around the party, making sure to not bump into anyone that could get him in trouble. The cheerful music rang in his ears, but he ignored it. The sooner this whole thing was over, the better, and he could be back in his bed by midnight. He took refuge in a loveseat by the stairs, lamely watching the crowd dance in front of him. He must have gone through three glasses of orange juice before he saw James also on the dancefloor, a blonde girl with her arms around his neck. Romelle.

They looked like they were having a grand time, laughing together and James pulling her close. Her pink gown was elegant and the embedded diamonds sparkled flashily in the light. They looked like a true couple.

Irritation simmered within Keith, making his throat go tight and his heart hammer in his ribs. So what if James was dancing with someone else– he certainly didn't care. He didn't care about Romelle and he definitely didn't care how happy James looked. Still, it sent a rush of regret through Keith's bones.

The dance couldn't be over quicker, and Keith felt a pit of bitterness in his stomach when James came back, exhilarated and bouncing on the balls of his feet with joy. His face was slightly flushed from exertion.

"Did you have _fun?_ " Keith bit out, before he could stop himself.

James drew his eyebrows together in confusion, his smile faltering. "What do you mean?"

Keith rested his cheek on his hand, avoiding James' gaze and looking out into the crowd. He knew he shouldn't have been upset with him– James had every right to dance with someone else if he wanted to, but it didn't change the fact that it _hurt_.

He decided to stop talking before he could ruin things further.

His silence enticed James to sit down next to him, and he joined him in looking out to the ball. The brunet must have caught on to his uncomfortableness, because he didn't get up again, or maybe he was just tired of the party.

The night stretched out with little conversation between them, and Keith felt worse with each minute that went by. Couples danced around them, and Keith just stayed in his seat, arms hugging himself in an attempt to find a sense of comfort. His eyes darted towards James.

Although he attempted to put up a facade, his expression screamed of disappointment, and want. He _really_ wanted to keep dancing, and Keith didn't know if he was keeping him from it or not.

As the music changed for the next dance, a slower one, Keith fought his resolve. If it would make James happy again, then he would do it. He had to.

Keith sighed as he stood up from his seat, tugging at James' arm to go with him.

"Come on," he said, and James' eyes widened at his words.

"Are we leaving?"

"Just come on," He insisted, until James was on his feet.

He led them to the middle of the dance floor, where several people parted to make room for them. There James finally understood what the shorter boy was up to.

"Wait, wait. Keith."

James made no move to touch him, and Keith tried to not think about all the eyes on him. He wanted to roll his eyes, but just huffed.

Taking James by surprise, he grabbed his hand when James didn't, and stepped closer until they were together and his hair tickled James' skin. His other hand latched on to James' other one, and he placed it on his waist.

Heat krept up Keith's face, his mind going a million miles an hour and struggling to catch up to his movements. He didn't know how to dance– but he was making an effort, so he supposed he got credit for trying. Thankfully James came out of his stupor and took the lead before Keith could make a fool of himself.

He held him gently, like he was glass, and Keith held his breath when they started to move.

Their dance was more of a swaying motion at first, and Keith didn't have the guts to look up at James just yet, focusing on his feet. If he stepped on his shoes, it was game over, and he was sure he'd pass out out of embarrassment. But he didn't, and he found it was actually quite easy, if he moved like James.

He could barely hear the music over his heart beating in his throat.

When he dared to look back up, James was smiling at him, and it felt like a warm embrace, like he had been enveloped in tenderness.

All of Keith's anxieties seemed to crumble away, and a smile of his own quirked on his lips. When James spun him around, he laughed, and he greatly enjoyed when he held him tighter, his cinnamony scent filling his nose and his very being. Soon he didn't have to think, and the dance became lively and exhilarating. He rested his chin on James' shoulder when the song came to an end, feeling lighter than before. He wished the moment would last forever.

* * *

Keith and James took a stroll through the lush gardens outside the castle, taking in the flowers and trees that surrounded the red bricked path. The moon shone brightly above them, reflecting light in the quiet ponds below. The scenery was nice, but it wasn't what Keith had gone outside for. He dragged James to a secluded area of the palace, where he knew they would be alone.

He'd overhead someone in the ballroom talking about a wonderful place in the gardens, and he couldn't wait to discover it for himself. A large smile broke out on Keith's face when they arrived. A big tree stood tall in front of a small bench, with a wooden swing hanging from one of its large branches.

"Keith. We shouldn't be here," James whispered, although he had no reason to. This was probably a private area, but there was no harm in having a little fun, right?

He tugged on James' arm again, beckoning him to the swing. "Keith, _no–_ " But he sat down anyway, and ran an appreciative hand over the strong rope, admiring its craft . A tiny smile formed on his lips.

"Cool, right?" Keith said, and he circled around James to push him. He went slow, and the way James let out a soft giggle made his heart skip a few beats. A sense of fondness washed over Keith as he laughed too. He kept pushing him for a while, until James leaned back to look at the stars and foliage above them.

"This is nice," James said, a shy smile on his lips. His eyes seemed to glow in the moonlight, turning them a pretty violet.

Keith swallowed.

"Yeah, it is." he forced out.

James batted his long brown eyelashes when he looked to the floor. "Thanks for dancing with me," he said, and continued to swing himself using his feet.

Keith felt a swell of- of something rise in his chest. "No problem."

A beat passed, and Keith pushed James again, careful to not do it so hard.

"Keith."

"Yeah?"

"After this, are you going to leave?"

His voice was so so quiet, and Keith frowned at the question. "Why would I do that?"

James shrugged his shoulders in reply, and he stopped his swinging by dragging his feet on the floor. "Five months after the wedding, you're allowed to leave," he explained bluntly, like that was somehow a good reason for Keith to get up and pack his bags. 

Keith walked in front of James to face him directly, and saw a pout on his face. He looked… sad. Like he was going to be left alone in his own home again.

It broke Keith's heart.

"I like being at the castle with you," Keith affirmed, blue eyes fixed on violet. He held the ropes at either side of James, and it caged him in his arms.

James swung a bit closer to him as he did so, or maybe that was just his imagination.

"I don't want you to go," He whispered, and Keith held his breath in their proximity. He could see James' individual eyelashes from this distance, as well as his pink lips, and his rosy cheeks that seemed to get darker with every second. He was… so pretty. At that moment, Keith wanted nothing more than to maybe kiss him…

But he pulled away, overcome with nervousness and fear. He realized his palms were sweaty as he rubbed his nape in uncertainty. "Veronica's probably waiting for us," he said, more of an excuse than anything else. "We should go."

A flicker of disappointment flashed in James' eyes, but it was gone as soon as it appeared. "Yeah, okay."

As they made their way back to the carriage where Veronica was, Keith wondered if he had made a mistake in not kissing James.

* * *

Both of them fell back into their routine after the ball, hanging out regularly inside and outside the castle. Some of their days were filled with meetings with other royals from different kingdoms, but mostly they were having fun, and Keith always thought about their time at the ball. They both went horseback riding and visited the village whenever they got the chance, having picnics in the grassy fields and even swimming in the lake once to unwind. But not every day could be perfect.

A particularly nasty storm took over the castle one late afternoon, and both boys were stuck inside the confining walls of the palace. After being told off by Adam for almost breaking a window in an exciting game of catch, Keith and James resorted to less energetic activities, such as hide and seek.

And as the king of hide and seek that Keith was, he made sure James would never find him, as he managed to squeeze himself behind a large chest of drawers in the hall. He snickered to himself as he fit snugly against the wall, making himself as small as possible.

But as he waited for James to come search for him, mentally counting down the numbers, he heard another voice distinctly come from behind him.

Just as he turned his head in curiosity, heavy footsteps approached his hiding spot, that definitely did _not_ belong to James.

Keith stayed as quiet as he could, but the person didn't seem to pay any attention to him, opening the door on his left and going inside. Well, thank goodness for that– it would have been awkward to be found in his position.

More voices came from the door, and Keith shifted in place, starting to get uncomfortable. What had it been already? A minute? Five minutes? Another set of footsteps came nearer, but this time–they were lighter.

Keith peeked through the opening between the wall and the chest, and he noticed the boots were a purple color, and a long sword came into view on the person's hip, sheathed at the belt. The door opened as they walked in, and Keith barely caught sight of white, flowing hair.

Wait.

He _knew_ that hair.

Making sure that no one else was in the hallway, (and James, especially– he wasn't gonna lose his winning streak), Keith crawled out of his hiding spot. He opened the door enough so he could peek through, and he gasped at what he found.

Now with a better view, Keith could see it was undeniably Lotor. The prince was clad in luxurious purple fabrics, white hair done in a side braid and a silver crown on his head. What the hell was he doing in the Griffin's palace? Keith knew him from back home where he used to train, but he only sparsely got to see him around the castle. He was known as a skilled fighter, and he was probably eighteen now if he remembered correctly. He was also a huge, arrogant jerk, which was honestly being kind, in Keith's opinion.

Lotor bowed in front of someone, showing his respects, and Keith observed that he wasn't alone. James' parents–the king and queen, were talking to him, and Keith felt unease at the sight. He stuck his head in further to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"I am honored that you have chosen me," Came Lotor's smooth voice. "I promise to take good care of your son."

Keith felt like the rug had been swept underneath his feet. Had he heard correctly?

_'Your son?'_

But, that couldn't mean…?

"Thank you, Lotor. We were desperate for your arrival. We will notify James right away that you're here."

Keith closed the door, and pressed his back against the wall, his breaths coming out harsh and laboured.

He wanted to know what Lotor was doing here, but he was afraid he already knew the answer.

James was being taken away from him.

He was going to marry Lotor, and that meant Keith was going to go back to Marmora by himself. The cold, dire truth sat heavy in Keith's stomach. He'd seen it with his own eyes. Was this his own fault? Had he not been good enough for James? Why would they do this?

Light footsteps pulled him out of his unraveling thoughts, and he turned up to see the object of his affections, a pout on his face and arms akimbo. "You're supposed to be hiding!"

Without thinking, Keith grabbed his hand, and led him to a far corner of the castle, away from the room Lotor was in. "Woah– where are we going?" James said.

Keith hung his head when they were alone, but he didn't let go of James' hand. The brunet immediately picked up on his despaired mood. "Keith? What's wrong?"

He lightly rubbed his thumb over James' smooth skin. He didn't want to break it to him, but he deserved to know. His only wish was that they would have more time together. The thought made tears prick at his eyes, so he shut them.

"I… Your parents are going to have Lotor marry you." Better to just rip off the band-aid. 

James' eyebrows flew into his hairline as he processed the information. "Wait, what? What are you talking about? How do you know?"

"I was kinda…. eavesdropping. But it's true."

A short silence followed, and Keith could practically see the gears turning in James' head. His face contorted in confusion. "...Why would they call someone else in?"

Keith wrapped his arms around himself, and he let out a humorless laugh. "Guess they thought I was no good for you," he muttered.

James' eyes were wide now, and he furrowed his eyebrows together, looking absolutely dejected. Like he couldn't believe what he'd said– or he refused to.

It tugged at Keith's heartstrings. They'd spent so much time together and now– who knew how much time they had left?

His voice was soft and broken when he spoke. "But...I don't want to marry Lotor."

Keith blinked his tears away, determined to not let himself cry. He didn't want to see James so heartbroken about it either– he wished they could go back to their game, and pretend everything was back to normal.

"Let's not think about that right now," Keith offered, his voice coming out rougher than he intended. "Come on. Let's go play something else."

He turned on his heel, heading back to the main staircase, but the brunet stayed where he was.

"James?"

James' nose and cheeks were ruddy with exertion, and he sniffed, rubbing his hands over his face to stop the tears in vain. He crumpled in on himself, and Keith felt a sharp pain in his chest, making his soul shatter and stomach sink.

He'd seen James cry before, and he wasn't proud to say that sometimes he was the cause of it, but this time it felt different.

It hurt.

Without another word, Keith walked towards the other boy and wrapped his hands around his slim figure.

He was never good at comforting people, or physical contact in general, but James seemed to appreciate it anyway, as he let himself be hugged. He didn't know what to say to him– saying "everything would be alright" would be cliche and a lie– so he settled with saying nothing.

James' breath hitched as he kept crying into his shoulder, arms pressed between his chest and Keith's. After a moment or two, the brunet was the first to speak.

"Promise you won't leave, Keith," he cried, hushed and muffled by Keith's shirt.

Keith only squeezed him tighter, and he memorized the downy quality of his hair, and the cinnamony scent of James that he liked so much.

"Okay."

* * *

As expected, the king and queen took James away to talk to Lotor a few hours later, leaving Keith in his room, miserable and staring up at the ceiling, the glass chandelier hanging over him. The conversation he'd overheard between Lotor and James' parents repeated in his brain over and over, until it consumed his entire being and it was all he could think about. In a matter of days, James would be married off to Lotor, and he'd have to pack his things to go home to Marmora. And this would be the new normal for him– loneliness, and his days spent without laughter, or riding horses, or secret getaways to the gardens they were not supposed to be in. It filled Keith's heart with despair, and he tumbled over in his bed, his vision distorting with tears. It was absolutely unbearable. And to think that a while ago this was exactly what he'd wanted… the universe just had a way of being cruel to him.

He was just about to force himself to go to sleep, when the door unlocked and Kolivan walked into the bedroom. When he saw the face of his guardian, Keith couldn't hold back his tears anymore, and they streamed over his face, unrelenting and hot on his skin.

He threw himself into Kolivan's arms, and sobbed into his uniform jacket, burying his face in the course material. Large hands circled around his back in a hug.

Keith's voice quivered when he tried to talk, sniffing in between his words. "I– I don't want to go back to Marmora," he stuttered, broken and gravelly. He knew his face was a mess, red and wet, and Kolivan had never seen him like this before, but he couldn't bring himself to care. "I want to stay with James," he confessed. 

Keith was pulled back by Kolivan's gentle hands, so he could stare directly at him. His lips trembled as he breathed in and out slowly like Kolivan had taught him, and managed to calm down a little. His guardian's eyes were unreadable, but his lips pressed together in a frown that only spoke of bad news.

"Keith," he said, and took a knee so he matched his height. "I'm the one who sent Lotor in."

Keith felt like time had slowed to a stop, and every inch of his body went numb. He felt frozen in place, and were it not for the very clear warmth of Kolivan's body heat, he might have thought he was dreaming.

"What…?"

"It is true," Kolivan said, and he looked grim now, as if now realizing his actions had indirectly hurt Keith.

"But– but why?! How?!"

Kolivan hummed deep in his throat, as Keith went through all the possibilities as to why Kolivan would do such a thing.

"I thought it would be the best for both of you," he explained. "You expressed your displeasure for the prince quite often– and the king and queen thought it would be better for you to not marry Prince James, after all. Although he's not from Marmora, Lotor's Galra blood would have made him an acceptable suitor for the prince, after you."

Keith's tears finally stopped after the explanation, and he struggled to connect all the dots given to him.

It was...because of _him_. _He_ was the one that kept their friendship hidden from Kolivan– and made him think that he hated the brunet. So Kolivan wouldn't lecture him, and he wouldn't think Keith loved James at all. When that couldn't be farther from the truth.

Guilt washed over him like a tidal wave, and it was worse than anything Keith had ever felt. He hung his head, and his eyes stung with fresh tears.

He wanted to stay with James. He was so sorry he had messed everything up for the both of them. And now he didn't know how to fix it, except maybe to try and beg for his guardian to change things.

But Kolivan took pity on him, and he brushed away his tears with a thumb. His eyes had softened, a rare expression that was new to Keith. He tilted his head to his touch.

"I can see now how much the prince means to you. How much you mean to each other. Do not cry anymore, kit. You're not going anywhere."

Keith hiccuped between his sobs, until he heard those gentle words being spoken to him. He couldn't stop himself from hugging Kolivan, and they stayed like that for a while in a warm embrace. Despite his efforts, his tears kept coming, but it was tears of joy instead.

His voice wavered when he pulled back, and he smiled at his guardian. _"Thank you."_

Keith was glad to announce he was going to keep his promise to James.

* * *

Keith scrutinized his hair in the mirror, parting his bangs to a side. It didn't look quite right, and he huffed as he made to fix it for the umpteenth time. Every other day, he wouldn't have cared so much about his appearance, but today was special. It was too bad he was running late.

Veronica peeked her head through his bedroom door, already growing impatient with him. It wasn't his fault he didn't know how to do his hair! "It looks fine, Keith, just go!" She said.

Keith pouted at his reflection. "James is always better at this than me," he grumbled, and Veronica rolled her eyes.

"James is actually waiting for you to show up! So scoot!" She pulled him away from the mirror, and let him walk out alone. It wasn't like he was a teen anymore.

Shiro met him at the double doors leading outside, an easy, knowing smile on his face.

He knew too much– obviously because Keith told him everything. "Big day, huh? Go and get 'em, tiger." He winked playfully, And Keith laughed at his antics. If only Shiro had the same confidence when talking to Adam...

"It's only every single year. But thanks for the encouragement, Shiro. I will."

Bidding his friend goodbye, he headed towards the stables and past the gates, letting his cape drag behind him in the wind. His heart immediately warmed at the sight of James, kneeling beside a smaller boy with black hair the same shade as his.

He was fussing over the vest he was wearing, and a small pout formed on the boy's lips. "Couldn't find my hat," he said, dejected and watching as his dad adjusted his outfit. His little hands balled into tiny fists.

"I don't know where it is, baby. You can wear your crown instead, okay? Won't that be nice? You can look just like daddy."

He fixed the small golden thing on top of his head, and beamed when the boy broke out in a smile. They looked so handsome, and regal in their outfits.

"I like it. It's shiny and sparkly."

"Be careful with it, okay?"

"Mmkay. Where's papa?" He turned around, and was lifted into James' arms.

The brunet mounted his black horse, and secured the child in front of his saddle. "I don't know. He was getting ready in a bit–"

Keith stepped up to the horse next to him with a smile and made his presence known. "Stealing my horse again, Griffin?"

"Hi papa!"

James turned his head around, and a smirk that made him swoon tugged at the edge of his lips. "It's the only way to make you hurry up, Keith!" 

"I'll remember that," he teased, and mounted his own empty saddle. He made sure his blade was safely put away in his sheath.

It was the anniversary of their wedding today, and every year they went on a ride around the kingdom, bringing plenty of food with them and a blanket.

Keith couldn't ask for a more perfect way to celebrate. It was how they first became friends, after all.

"Are you ready?" Came James' voice.

He drew his gaze back to the castle, which had become his home for a long time, and then back to James, who was sitting next to their son. He smiled cutely, and it matched the little boy's. Keith had never been more in love. He took a deep breath in.

"Absolutely." 

And they lived happily ever after.

The End.

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from Kiki's Delivery Service: "If I've Been Enveloped in Tenderness"


End file.
